OECD report a damning indictment on housing

The latest OECD report on New Zealand is a damning indictment of the Government's failure to tackle the housing crisis, Labour's housing spokesperson Phil Twyford says.

“Auckland house prices are so out of control that the OECD rates Auckland as less affordable than New York, Los Angeles and Toronto. Auckland house prices are the second most out of step with rents in the developed world and fourth relative to incomes.

“That this report has so much to say on housing underlines the OECD's view that Auckland’s crisis threatens the country's financial stability, and is making poverty worse.

“The report is a catalogue of National’s inaction and incompetence when it comes to housing policy. In particular it highlights:

New build rates in Auckland are only half what is needed to meet population growth, and the shortfall of 20-30,000 dwellings will continue to drive up house prices.

The need for mandatory minimum standards for rental properties, but the Government appears only willing to consider a weak and half-hearted measure.

The need to reform the Resource Management Act and limit nimbyism to free up land for development. This is something National has been talking about for nine years but has yet to actually do anything about.

The insecurity of tenure and lack of rights for the half of the population that rents, something National has no interest in addressing.

“The Government needs to immediately and substantially address these issues for the sake of our economy, our people and future generations,” Phil Twyford says.